Loose-leaf binder



Nov, 7, 1939. c D (RUSSELL 2,178,546

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed March 23, 1958 Patented Nov. 7, 1939 STATES PATENT OFFEQE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Application March 23,

4 Claims.

The invention here disclosed relates to looseleaf binders of the type in which cooperating half rings or prongs are carried by plates held in toggle relationship in a spring back plate, such as illustrated in Trussell Patents 1,468,845, Sept. 25, 1923; 1,468,846, Sept. 25, 1923; 1,529,454, Mar. 10, 1925; 1,800,268, April 14, 1931 and 1,953,981, April 10, 1934. Of these, Patents 1,468,846 and 1,953,981 disclose special trigger constructions for rocking the toggle plates to effect opening of the rings and Patent 1,800,268 discloses the toggle plates equipped with reversely acting finger levers at opposite ends by which the toggle plates can be rocked to open or close the rings.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a simple, eflicient and readily assembled form of trigger for closing the rings and which desirably can more or less match in appearance, location and mode of operation the ring opening trigger at the opposite end of the ring metal.

Other objects of the invention and the novel features of construction, combinations and relations of parts by which all objects are attained are set forth or will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates a commercial embodiment, constituting a present preferred form of the invention. Structure may be modified however as regards this particular disclosure, all within the true spirit and broad scope of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the ring metal.

Fig. 2 is a broken enlarged longitudinal sectional View as on line 22 of Fig. l with the rings in closed relation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the closing trigger mechanism with parts broken and appeering in section as on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view as on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a broken longitudinal section of the closing trigger mechanism with the parts in the ring open position.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional detail as on line 66 of Fig. 5.

The binder structure consists in the main, of the edge-to-edge toggle plates 1, held in such relation within the spring back plate 8, and carrying the mating prongs 9, forming the leaf holding rings, the parts being retained in this relationship by a cover plate Hi, crimped over the sides and ends of the back plate.

The ring opening trigger is designated H, and, like that of the Trussell Patent 1,953,981, is

1938, Serial No. 197,540

shown as having a transverse bridge piece i2, fulcruming in opposite sides of the channeled back plate and having toe portions i3, which hook beneath the toggle plates to lift them at the center in a ring opening direction.

The ring closing trigger is indicated at [4, as of the same external appearance as the opening trigger and located in the same general relation at the opposite end of the binder. Internally however, the closing trigger is quite different in structure and action, being designed for engagement over the tops of the plates for forcing them downward in a ring closing direction. Also the ends of the plates are changed to accommodate this trigger.

In the present illustrated embodiment, the closing trigger is formed with an arched intermediate portion at E5, to bridge over the reduced width end portions I6, of the toggle plates and from the sides of this arch laterally extending wings l'l, project, reduced at their outer ends Figs. 4 and 6, to form fulcrums operating in the side channels formed beneath the inturned flanges is, of the back plate. At the center, the closing trigger is shown as having projections i9, slotted at 26, to form hooks engaging over the reduced end portions of the toggle plates, thus to have bearing over the top of the plates and to be retained and retracted by the plates as they collapse in the ring closing movement.

The closing lever is shown as made from a single piece of sheet metal folded downwardly to form a handle portion, the folded sides being widened at the front to form the arch l5, and thence bent outwardly to constitute the lateral fulcrum wings and part of the downwardly folded sides back of the arch forming the dependent hook elements i 9. With the fulcrum thus at the forward inner end and the load engaging hook between the ends, the trigger constitutes a lever of the second class, as distinguished from the opening triger, which lifts the load at its inner end and is pivoted intermediate its ends to form a lever of the first class.

The handle portions of the two trigger levers preferably are of such size and shape that they can readily be passed up through the slots 2|, in the cover plate l6 and when this is done, the trigger can be readily seated in the back plate in engagement with the opposite ends of the toggle bars, after which the top plate may be secured down over the back plate. Thus the assembling of the mechanism is relatively simple. The parts are sturdy and inexpensive. The provision and location of a ring opening trigger at one end and a ring closing trigger at the opposite end is particularly advantageous, enabling the binder to be quickly opened or closed by the fingers naturally holding the opposite ends of the binder. Only a slight downward movement of one trigger is required to open the binder. This movement raises the closing trigger, placing it in position for handy operation as indicated in Fig. 5, and then a slight downward movement of this latter member will efiect closing of the binder rings. The closing trigger, like the opening trigger, pivots on the side edge portions, instead of on the middle of the back, thus exerting pressure tending to spread the back and assist the spring toggle action. The arched construction brings the body of the closing trigger up over the top of the toggle bars, placing it in position for applying a downward ring closing pressure on the bars and the hooked engagement of this trigger with the ends of the bars prevents it from loosely rattling and makes it fall back with the toggle levers as they collapse in the ring closing movement.

What is claimed is:

1. A binder comprising prong carrying toggle bars and a closer arched over the top of said toggle bars and having hooked engagement over the end of said toggle bars at one end of said binder, said bars being of reduced width where said closer arches over the same and said closer having fulcrum extensions projecting laterally from the arched portion of the same.

2. In combination with a spring back plate, prong carrying toggle bars seated in said back plate and of reduced width at one end, a closing trigger having an arched portion over said reduced width end portions of the toggle bars and fulcrum extensions projecting laterally from the sides of said arched portion and fulcrumed on opposite side portions of said back plate and a hook dependent from an intermediate portion of said trigger and engaged over the adjoining ends of said toggle bars.

3. In combination with a spring back plate, prong carrying toggle bars seated in said back plate and of reduced width at one end, a closing trigger having an arched portion over said reduced width end portions of the toggle bars and fulcrum extensions projecting laterally from the sides of said arched portion and fulcrumed on opposite side portions of said back plate and a hook dependent from an intermediate portion 01' said trigger and engaged over the adjoining ends of said toggle bars, said trigger having downwardly folded sides extended laterally to form the arched portion and the laterally projecting fulcrums and having said downwardly folded sides continued in back of said arched portion and slotted to form duplicate hook portions engageable respectively with the individual toggle bars.

4. In a binder of the character disclosed, the combination with prong carrying rocking toggle plates, a prong closer comprising a trigger having laterally extended fulcrum extensions at one end, said trigger having an arched formation between said fulcrum extensions and the opposite end of the trigger, said intermediate arched portion overstanding said prong carrying plates and having shoulders located between the ends of the trigger and engaging the prong carrying plates both above and below the same.

CLARENCE D. TRUSSELL. 

